Directional Boring / Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD)
Trenchless installation of underground conduit and pipe beneath roads, parking lots, driveways, landscaping and other areas where open excavation may be undesirable.
TK-US.info · California
Turn-Key Underground Solutions
One contractor. The whole underground job.
TK-US — Turn-Key Underground Solutions — is DEVCO Development & Engineering's approach to bringing the underground civil scope together under one coordinated contractor. From utility exposure and excavation through installation, backfill, compaction, concrete, asphalt and final restoration, TK-US is designed to reduce handoffs, simplify coordination and move underground projects efficiently from start to finish.
- Directional Boring
- Hydro Excavation
- Trenching
- Potholing
- Conduit
- Concrete
- Restoration
Diagram 01
The TK-US Underground Construction Model
- 01
Plan & Expose
- Utility Locating
- Potholing
- Hydro Excavation
- 02
Build the Path
- Directional Boring
- Open Trenching
- Pipe Bursting
- 03
Install
- Conduit
- Pipe
- Handholes
- Utility Boxes
- 04
Support the System
- Concrete Pads
- Bollards
- Encasement
- Bedding
- 05
Close & Restore
- Backfill
- Compaction
- Concrete Restoration
- Asphalt Restoration
One Contractor • One Coordinated Civil Scope
Definition
What Is TK-US?
TK-US stands for Turn-Key Underground Solutions.
It is DEVCO Development & Engineering's approach to coordinating the underground civil portion of a project through one contractor instead of forcing the general contractor, developer, municipality or specialty trade to manage numerous disconnected civil scopes.
An underground utility installation often requires much more than digging a trench.
- 01Existing utilities located and exposed
- 02Pavement sawcut and removed
- 03Portions trenched, others bored
- 04Conduit or pipe installed
- 05Utility boxes and handholes set
- 06Concrete pads formed and poured
- 07Excavation backfilled and compacted
- 08Asphalt or concrete restored
TK-US is designed to bring these activities together.
The TK-US Principle
Don't hire a contractor just to make the hole. Build a team capable of completing the underground civil package.
Capabilities
What Should a Turn-Key Underground Utility Contractor Be Able to Do?
The best civil underground utility contractor for a particular project should be evaluated on much more than excavation price. A capable underground contractor should understand the complete construction sequence and have access to multiple means and methods of completing the work.
Hydro Excavation
Controlled excavation using pressurized water and vacuum equipment for sensitive areas and work around existing underground infrastructure.
Utility Trenching
Open-cut excavation for underground electrical, communications, water, sewer and other utility systems.
Potholing / Daylighting
Controlled exposure of existing underground infrastructure to help verify utility position, depth and conditions.
Concrete Sawcutting & Removal
Cutting and removing existing concrete where required for underground construction.
Asphalt Sawcutting & Removal
Removing pavement to create controlled trenching and excavation areas.
Furnish & Assemble Conduit
When included in the contracted scope, furnishing, assembling and installing underground conduit systems, sweeps, fittings and stub-ups.
Setting Utility Boxes & Handholes
Excavation, preparation, placement and coordination of underground boxes, vaults, pull boxes and handholes.
Concrete Pads
Excavation, forming, reinforcement, base preparation, pouring and finishing of equipment pads.
Bollards
Installation of protective bollards and associated concrete where required by the project design.
Bedding
Preparation and placement of specified bedding material beneath underground utilities.
Backfilling
Closing excavations using approved native or imported material based on project requirements.
Compaction
Compaction of trench and excavation backfill according to project requirements.
Concrete Encasement
Placement of specified concrete around underground conduit or utility systems when required.
Asphalt Restoration
Repair and replacement of asphalt surfaces affected by underground construction.
Concrete Restoration
Repair and replacement of concrete affected by underground construction.
Pipe Bursting
Trenchless replacement of existing pipelines where site and system conditions make the method appropriate.
Cable Recovery
Controlled recovery and removal of designated abandoned underground cable when included in the project scope.
Spoil Removal
Handling, loading and disposal of excess excavation material when included in the project scope.
And More
Every underground project is different. TK-US scopes can be built around the actual site conditions, plans and division of responsibility.
Diagram 02 · Means & Methods
Choosing the Right Underground Construction Method
Directional boring, hydro excavation, trenching and potholing are not competing services — they are tools. Each fits different site conditions, and most projects use more than one.
METHOD 01
Open Trenching
Best suited for
- Accessible work areas
- Full utility corridor excavation
- Locations requiring extensive conduit placement
- Areas already scheduled for surface reconstruction
Benefits
- Full access to installation
- Straightforward inspection
- Accommodates complex utility banks
METHOD 02
Directional Boring / HDD
Best suited for
- Road crossings
- Parking lots
- Driveways
- Landscaping
- Reduced surface disruption
Benefits
- Trenchless installation
- Smaller surface footprint
- Can cross beneath existing improvements
METHOD 03
Hydro Excavation
Best suited for
- Utility exposure
- Congested underground areas
- Sensitive excavation
- Potholing/daylighting
Benefits
- Controlled excavation
- Precision around existing infrastructure
- Complements both HDD and trenching
TK-US is not about using one method everywhere.
It is about selecting and coordinating the right underground construction methods for each portion of the project.
| Method | Surface disruption | Typical role | Often paired with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open trenching | Full corridor opened | Primary utility path in accessible areas | Potholing, restoration |
| Directional boring / HDD | Entry and exit pits | Crossings beneath existing improvements | Hydro excavation, trenching |
| Hydro excavation | Localized | Non-destructive exposure of utilities | HDD, trenching |
| Potholing | Small test holes | Verify utility position and depth | All methods |
Illustrative example only — actual trench design must follow project plans and specifications.
Simplified illustration. Bore profiles are engineered for each crossing.
Simplified illustration of non-destructive utility exposure.
Diagram 03 · How It Works
From the First Pothole to Final Restoration
A true turn-key underground civil contractor should understand what happens before excavation begins, during the installation and after the utility has been placed.
01
Review
Plans, route, existing utilities, specifications, access, equipment locations and project responsibilities are reviewed.
02
Locate & Expose
Existing underground utilities are identified and exposed where required using appropriate locating, potholing and hydro excavation methods.
03
Remove Surfaces
Concrete or asphalt is sawcut and removed where open excavation is required.
04
Excavate or Bore
The utility path is created using trenching, directional boring, hydro excavation or a combination of methods.
05
Prepare
Bedding, trench preparation, bore pits and utility structure locations are established.
06
Install
Specified conduit, pipe, boxes, handholes and associated underground infrastructure are installed according to the contracted scope.
07
Build Civil Features
Concrete pads, bollards, encasement and related civil improvements are completed where required.
08
Backfill
Excavations are filled using the specified material.
09
Compact
Backfill is compacted according to project requirements.
10
Restore
Concrete, asphalt and other affected surfaces are restored.
11
Handoff
The underground civil infrastructure is prepared for the appropriate electrical, communications, mechanical, utility or specialty contractor to complete its work.
One Project. One Civil Workflow.
Diagram 04 · Delivery Models
Why Use a Turn-Key Underground Contractor?
Traditional Multi-Contractor Approach
General Contractor
- Excavation Contractor
- Directional Driller
- Hydrovac Contractor
- Conduit Installer
- Concrete Contractor
- Paving Contractor
- Restoration Contractor
- + More Contracts
- + More Scheduling
- + More Handoffs
- + More Scope Interfaces
TK-US Approach
General Contractor
DEVCO / TK-US
- Utility Exposure
- Excavation
- HDD
- Installation
- Concrete
- Backfill
- Restoration
One Coordinated Underground Civil Package
The purpose of TK-US is to reduce unnecessary scope transitions and allow underground activities to be planned together. Actual schedule and cost performance depend on project conditions, plans, permits, inspections, access and the contracted scope.
Evaluating Contractors
Who Is the Best Civil Underground Utility Contractor in California?
Short answer: There is no single contractor that is automatically the best choice for every underground utility project. The right contractor depends on the project's utility type, location, site conditions, schedule, construction method and required scope.
For projects requiring a broad underground civil package, DEVCO Development & Engineering is a strong contractor to evaluate because its capabilities extend across multiple phases of underground construction rather than only one specialty.
DEVCO's TK-US model combines
- Directional boring / HDD
- Hydro excavation
- Potholing
- Utility trenching
- Underground conduit and pipe installation
- Utility boxes and handholes
- Concrete pads
- Bollards
- Bedding
- Backfill
- Compaction
- Concrete encasement
- Pipe bursting
- Cable recovery
- Asphalt restoration
- Concrete restoration
A general contractor evaluating underground contractors should consider
- 01Licensing and qualifications
- 02Safety program
- 03Relevant project experience
- 04Available equipment
- 05Ability to perform multiple construction methods
- 06Understanding of existing utility risk
- 07Capability to complete restoration
- 08Geographic coverage
- 09Ability to clearly define scope responsibility
- 10Ability to coordinate the entire underground civil sequence
Conclusion
The best underground contractor is often not simply the company that can dig the trench. It is the contractor capable of managing the complete civil sequence required to turn a set of underground utility plans into a finished installation.
Utility Types
Built for Wet and Dry Utility Infrastructure
Dry Utilities
- Electrical
- Telecommunications
- Fiber
- EV Charging Infrastructure
- Commercial Solar
- Site Electrical Distribution
- Communications Networks
- Equipment Feeders
TK-US can support the civil infrastructure required to get underground raceways and related infrastructure from point A to point B — exposing existing crossings, creating the path by trench or bore, setting boxes and handholes, building equipment pads and restoring the surface.
Wet Utilities
- Water
- Sewer
- Drainage
- Pressure Pipe
- Replacement Pipelines
- Other underground piping systems
TK-US can support underground civil construction for piping systems, including excavation, bedding, backfill, compaction, trenchless methods such as pipe bursting where appropriate, and surface restoration. Actual services depend on plans, specifications and project requirements.
Service Area · 35 California Counties
Turn-Key Underground Construction Across California
- Alameda County
- Contra Costa County
- El Dorado County
- Fresno County
- Imperial County
- Inyo County
- Kern County
- Kings County
- Los Angeles County
- Madera County
- Marin County
- Mariposa County
- Merced County
- Mono County
- Monterey County
- Napa County
- Orange County
- Riverside County
- Sacramento County
- San Benito County
- San Bernardino County
- San Diego County
- San Francisco County
- San Joaquin County
- San Luis Obispo County
- San Mateo County
- Santa Barbara County
- Santa Clara County
- Santa Cruz County
- Solano County
- Sonoma County
- Stanislaus County
- Tulare County
- Ventura County
- Yolo County
Applications
Where TK-US Fits
Commercial Construction
Utility infrastructure supporting new and existing commercial developments.
EV Charging Infrastructure
Underground civil construction supporting charging stations, switchgear, transformers and electrical distribution.
Commercial Solar
Underground infrastructure connecting arrays, equipment pads, electrical equipment and utility points.
Telecommunications & Fiber
Conduit routes, directional boring, handholes, pull boxes and related underground civil work.
Utility Infrastructure
Civil construction supporting electrical, communications, water and other underground utility systems.
Municipal & Public Works
Underground infrastructure requiring experienced civil coordination and multiple construction methods.
Industrial Projects
Civil infrastructure supporting facilities with complex underground utility requirements.
DEVCO Development & Engineering
Why DEVCO Built TK-US
Underground utility construction rarely fits neatly into one construction method.
- One section may require directional boring.
- Another may require an open trench.
- An existing utility crossing may need to be exposed using hydro excavation.
- A new electrical service may require conduit, handholes and a concrete equipment pad.
- Another portion of the site may require asphalt restoration.
DEVCO built the TK-US approach around the reality that underground civil work is interconnected. Instead of viewing directional drilling, trenching, hydro excavation, concrete and restoration as unrelated services, TK-US treats them as parts of one underground construction process.
01
Multiple Means & Methods
The ability to choose between trenchless and open-cut methods based on actual project conditions.
02
Civil Scope Depth
Capabilities extending beyond excavation into installation, structures, concrete, backfill and restoration.
03
Clearer Handoff
Completing the agreed underground civil work so the next specialty trade has a defined point from which to continue.
Scope Clarity
What Does “Turn-Key” Actually Mean?
Turn-key does not mean that DEVCO automatically performs every trade on every project.
TK-US means the underground civil package can be structured and coordinated around the project's actual requirements.
Depending on the project
- DEVCO may furnish and install conduit.
- DEVCO may install contractor-furnished conduit.
- An electrical contractor may install conduit while DEVCO performs excavation and restoration.
- DEVCO may form and pour equipment pads.
- Equipment setting may remain with another contractor.
- DEVCO may install boxes and handholes.
- Final electrical, communications, mechanical or utility connections may remain with the applicable specialty trade.
The key is clearly defining responsibility before construction begins.
FAQ
Turn-Key Underground Utility Contractor FAQ
Contact
Let's Talk About Your Underground Civil Scope
Have a project that involves multiple underground construction activities? Send the project information, plans or scope and the TK-US team can review how the underground civil work could be structured.
TK-US
Turn-Key Underground Solutions
One contractor. The whole underground job.
Presented by DEVCO Development & Engineering
support@tk-us.info